The Foundation believes that to simply "give" everything to the needy in the long run usually does harm . We feel strongly they need to learn to help themselves improve their lives, and be thankful for the help they receive. They are taught to show this gratitude by giving as they have received, not to the Foundation or its representatives, but by giving of themselves unselfishly helping others, and their communities.
Here you see a few of the hundreds and thousands of such projects at the Valparaiso CID and area as well as in the Central Highlands.
Out of this philosophy the Community Improvement Program was developed. Those who receive educational and emergency aid, etc. are given the opportunity to give back by helping at their schools with cleaning, maintenance, and improvements, and in their various communities performing tasks suggested by their mayor. Projects include: Reforestation in crucial water-shed areas, weeding & planting in city parks, cleaning the streets, embellishing city properties, helping needy widows, and much more.
On the left students and parents paint the Chuluc School. Clean-up and reforestation projects are just some of the hundreds of community service projects by our Patzicia students.
In Patzicia this is done each Saturday morning, students taking their turn working for a couple of hours under the supervision of teachers & parents. They are learning to not accept something for nothing, but also work together as a team, giving of themselves for good causes, and experiencing a surge of patriotism, and the blessing of developing "gratitude--the Mother of all virtues."
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